25th New York film festival 1987

Designed by the celebrated American conceptual artist Sol LeWitt (1928–2007) for the 25th New York Film Festival, this original 1987 poster perfectly embodies the artist's distinctive visual language, where geometry, repetition and systematic order become powerful aesthetic statements. Created for the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the poster commemorates one of the world's most prestigious annual celebrations of international cinema.

The composition is striking in its simplicity. Four adjoining squares filled with carefully arranged vertical, horizontal and diagonal black lines create an elegant optical rhythm that is instantly recognizable as LeWitt's work. The minimal palette of black and white reinforces the graphic precision of the design, while the subtle shifts in direction produce a dynamic visual tension that rewards prolonged viewing.

One of the pioneers of Conceptual Art and Minimalism, Sol LeWitt transformed contemporary art by arguing that the underlying idea was as important as the finished object. Throughout his career he developed systems based on geometric forms, serial structures and predetermined rules, producing wall drawings, prints and sculptures that continue to influence generations of artists and designers. His work is represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum, Tate Modern and countless major institutions worldwide.

Founded in 1963, the New York Film Festival quickly established itself as one of the most influential showcases for international auteur cinema. Organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, it has premiered landmark works by directors including Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese, François Truffaut, Pedro Almodóvar and many others. The 1987 edition, celebrating the festival's twenty-fifth anniversary, marked an important milestone in its history.

Rather than illustrating scenes from cinema, LeWitt chose to create an abstract composition that reflects the structural language shared by both modern art and filmmaking. The orderly arrangement of lines recalls rhythm, editing and visual sequencing—the essential building blocks of cinematic storytelling—while remaining entirely autonomous as a work of graphic art.

Posters commissioned by major cultural institutions from internationally renowned contemporary artists occupy a unique place within twentieth-century design history. They function simultaneously as exhibition announcements and collectible original artworks, bridging the worlds of fine art, graphic design and cultural history.

Elegant, intellectually engaging and visually timeless, this original 25th New York Film Festival poster is a superb example of Sol LeWitt's disciplined aesthetic and a remarkable piece for collectors of conceptual art, cinema history and modern graphic design.

Original poster

Cinema - United States - Minimalism

Alice Tully Hall - Film Society of Lincoln Center

Very good state